r THE MHO HAND AND THE RING by VANS NIS T TREMAINE I 1 jack bronson gave up his bla seat and clung to a strap while he be tried to read the morning paper all around him were other men and women pressing pr e B 8 closely as the train bored 0 swiftly w i ft ly through the underground passage at thirty fourth street when the car was packed jack folt felt a tug at the pocket of his hia loose storm coat ilia hla hand slipped down swiftly and closed on another hand a soft satiny little hand that struggled in his for a moment and then freed itself leaving something metallic la in his grasp another man tall like himself pressed closely he was bending down talking to a girl standing by him whose face jack could not see bee jack smiled grimly the train was slowing down at his station and he wormed his wily way out to the street his bis unseen booty clasped in his hand band lie he did not once took look at it until he had reached his bis office and opened ibis his desk then with an odd sense of curiosity he opened his clenched hand and looked at the ring which he had slipped from the intruding hand in his bis pocket it was well mell worth looking at too a womans comans ring a magnificent emerald surrounded by brilliantz brilliants brilli brili ants lants good bood be heavens avenell 1 gasped jack staring at the valuable jewel jemel what Wha lave I 1 done I 1 cool reflection told him that possibly he had been made a receptacle for stolen goods by a thief ile he locked the ring in his safe anit and proceeded with the business of tile the day every morning he kept a close watch of the dally daily papers to seo see if the loss lose was advertised dut but he be found no hint bint of it occasionally there came the decol collection of that satiny little hand which had struggled with his in the crush ot if the car where all were wedged tightly like sheep in a pen and the touch of that strange hand thrilled him persistently jack bronson was in love it if silly any one person was responsible for this fact it might be his sister fanny who had invited him down to spend the weekend week end and there introduced him to alice selden belden miss selden belden was a wonderful girl jack had discovered almost immediately she was the only girl be had ever met whom he could really picture as an his wife they got on together remarkably well too they enjoyed the same sports the same books the same pic tures practically the same everything you never wear any rings he said as an they vat sat together on oil the beach alice looked down at her little tanned fingers and ana shook her dainty head I 1 used to wear one she said rather pensively it was a darling ring and to punish myself for losing it I 1 have vowed not to wear another until I 1 find and it not any ring at all quavered jack who had been dreaming of placing an engagement ring on her pretty hand noo no ll 11 she said firmly 1 I want to free you from your rash vow I 1 want to make it possible for you to indulge in at least one ring lie ha said eald earnestly alice blushed again for there wu was no mistaking hla his meaning what sort of ong ing was it A at cluster i an emerald sur ur rounded by diamonds father gave it to me on my last lait birthday I 1 lost it in the sub subway ay it was rather an odd affair it you dont mind id rather not inot talka about it any more then she ehe proceeded to change the subject I 1 want to speak to you whispered jack as they met next morning in the breakfast room join me on tho the beach in half an hour may I 1 expect expect you I 1 she nodded assent and he paired on when they met he told her bet of hla his love for her and hla his utter anabile inability to live without her when she aha in turn confessed that hla his swift wooing had bad won her heart he would have slipped a blazing soil bolt dalre on her finger but she aha drew her hand away hastily my vow you know she aha reminded him close your eyes he almost sharp ly commanded when he saw she had obeyed hint him ho he took the emerald ring from his pocket and slipped it on oa the little finger of herlog her right ht hand at its ita touch alle alice uttered a cry its mine jack my ring she laughed now I 1 can tell you I 1 was with my birther b other arthur the car was waa crowded and we a were standing I 1 felt raint faint unit and put my hando hand as aa I 1 thought into arthurs pocket to get my little handbag I 1 had slipped it in there for safekeeping the pocket was waa empty and I 1 was waa just going to speak to arthur about it when your hand band gripped mine I 1 managed to get my hand band away but my ring remained in your ticket packet of course I 1 did not dare make a toes fuss because you could face me and accuse mo me of having nay my hand in your pocket and so I 1 let it go it seems too good to be true most perfect happiness to lal lit he said holding her close to his heart copyright 1915 by the mcclure jecture neopa per syndicate